My 7-year-old dog is constantly in heat. Is this a health problem?

Most dogs typically go into heat twice a year. The questions to ask yourself are: 1. Has she ever done this before? 2. Does the blood look different? 3. Is she behaving differently? Occasionally, bitches do slow their bleeding and then start up again briefly towards the end, but it is not worth the risk to assume this is the case here. If this is not how her heat cycles normally progress, it is possible that she has [pyometra](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pyometra/), or an infection of the uterus. Pyometra is common in older, intact female dogs that have recently had a heat cycle. It is a very serious condition that typically requires surgical intervention. Please bring her to your veterinarian or the nearest veterinary ER to be on the safe side. She needs to be seen ASAP, especially if she is lethargic, [feverish](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-signs-your-pet-has-a-fever) or has a tender abdomen.

Hi, it is probably better to have her checked over. Sometimes it can be secondary to hormonal fluctuations and changes in the uterus over the course of the years. However, best to be on the safer side and have a check up to make sure that she is not becoming anaemic and that the bleeding is not secondary to something else more concerning .

It is more common for them to only come into heat twice a year, but some do come into heat four times a year. As long as she is otherwise normal, I would not be concerned about any abnormalities causing this. If she is having lasting changes in behavior, or signs of illness, then I would be concerned and recommend a visit to the vet. Below is a link to an article with more information about the normal heat cycle in dogs. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/estrus-cycles-in-dogs I hope that helps and all is well with Bunz.

With any new reproductive symptom out of the norm for your pet, it is best to have a vet take a look, especially if the symptoms persist, Tinkerbell continues bleeding, or if she seems otherwise ill or in distress. A vet check in person can help rule out any issues such as infections, hormonal problems, or other related issues that may be causing the change. If you're having trouble affording care, this site may help give you some options to make it more affordable if you need to bring Tinkerbell into your vet: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

Hi there. If Izzy has never had any vaginal discharge during her heat cycles previously, that's very odd. I would be concerned that what you are seeing now may indicated a pyometra (uterine infection), as this is a common cause of vaginal discharge in middle-aged and older intact females. If she does have a pyometra, this is a serious problem that can be life-threatening - so I would recommend taking her to the vet today for an exam to find out for sure what's going on.

I would not be overly concerned about the single episode of vomiting/hard stool and would advise a bland diet of chicken and rice for 2-3days to see if the bowel issue resolves. I would howver be concerned about a heat cycle that has persisted for 7weeks+ and would recommend a check up with your vet tomorrow to rule out infection or other medical complications. I would recommend neutering her unless you have a need to breed from her in at the next heat cycle as excessive blood loss could become a significant issue with each cycle

Female dogs don't actually stop having [heats](https://www.petcoach.co/article/anatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs). This is because as they get older, they do not always show the external or behavioral signs that they are actually having a heat, this can sometimes be referred to as a ‘silent heat.' It is important to remember that even though your dog may not be showing signs of being in season that she could still get pregnant if mated by an intact male dog. Ideally, you should consider having her [spayed](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-dogs). There may also be an undiagnosed hormonal disease or ovarian disease present that stopped her cycling. In order to make sure it is not a serious condition you should have her checked by a veterinarian. It is possible that it is a harmless reason, but it is also possible that there is a serious underlying condition.